lostpediafandomcom-20200229-history
Oscar Talbot interview
Graft is responsible for this transcription. It is part of the alternate reality game Find 815. Oscar Talbot gave radio interview talking about the discovery of Oceanic Flight 815 in the Sunda Trench. Interview INTERVIEWER: Oscar Talbot, thank you for joining us today. I'm sure you appreciate there are many people who are extremely eager to understand how this extraordinary discovery was made. TALBOT: Of course. INTERVIEWER: Can you tell us about the expedition you were conducting in the Sunda Trench? TALBOT: Certainly. May I begin, however, by expressing on behalf of The Maxwell Group our sincerest and most heartfelt sympathies for the families of the victims. The crew of the Christiane I and I are deeply shocked by all of this. We're doing everything we can to assist the National Transport Safety Authority in the process of its investigation. And answer to your question, Christiane I was conducting an archaeological survey. Our objective was to locate the wreck of a vessel called Black Rock, which we suspect sunk in the Sunda Trench in 1881. INTERVIEWER: And you were the supervisor of the expedition? TALBOT: That's correct. I work for a syndicate of interest called The Maxwell Group; we're focused on marine heritage preservation. INTERVIEWER: And in the course of your survey, the sonar detected the signal on the ocean floor? TALBOT: Yes, that's right. It was a very strong signal, suggesting a large object. We were naturally very excited because we thought it was Black Rock. Unfortunately, we had to put our excitement on hold for several days due to foul weather. INTERVIEWER: Can you describe that first dive for us? TALBOT: Well at first, it was very routine. We submerged two ROVs, remote operated vehicles, to investigate the signal. Now this is quite common in waters like the Sunda Trench. The ROVs are designed to handle extreme depths, total darkness, extreme cold. They systematically scan the area to find out where the signal is coming from, which isn't always clear. Signals bounce everywhere. After about half an hour, one of the ROVs crested a ridge and that's when we saw it: a plane–not a ship–a plane, partly damaged, but largely intact. INTERVIEWER: And how did you determine which plane you discovered? TALBOT: Well this is one of the most remarkable aspects of the discovery. You see, the operator at the control of the ROV was a young man by the name of Sam Thomas. He was once an employee of Oceanic Airlines. His partner Sonya was aboard Flight 815 when it crashed. INTERVIEWER: Oh my. TALBOT: Sam joined the expedition because he wanted to get away from things for a while, at least that's how he put it to me. Looking back, it's clear he was grieving, but at the time we did not know the whole story. INTERVIEWER: And this man was at the controls of the ROV at the time of the discovery? TALBOT: Yes, sadly, that is correct. When Sam came over the ridge, he knew immediately he was looking at Flight 815. He'd studied every aspect of the plane in the hope of finding out what might've happened, and now in an extraordinary twist of fate he had his answers. INTERVIEWER: And will there be a further examination of the plane to determine the exact cause of the disaster? TALBOT: Well, it's not for me to determine, but judging by the initial examination of the wreck, my professional opinion is that a salvage operation is very unlikely. The sheer depth of the wreck makes it virtually impossible. Now that's just my professional opinion; on a purely personal level, I think it would be desirable to return the remains of the victims to their families. Unfortunately, I just don't think that that is possible. INTERVIEWER: So the wreck will simply be left? TALBOT: Yes, I would imagine so. INTERVIEWER: In light of this, what do you hope might come out of this discovery? TALBOT: Peace. I hope the families find peace. I saw Sam Thomas' reaction to the discovery; it was very painful. But later... I don't know, he seemed at peace, just knowing where his partner lay seemed to help. I hope others find peace as well. INTERVIEWER: Oscar Talbot, thank you for your time. TALBOT: Thank you.